PISTACHIO, COURGETTE & LEMON CAKE

1 marrow 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 100g chorizo, chopped 1 tsp smoked paprika

tsp cayenne pepper

tsp each dried oregano and dried thyme 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 140g roasted red pepper from a jar, sliced Handful parsley, chopped 85g fresh breadcrumb 100g manchego cheese, grated Heat oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/gas 6. Cut the marrow in half lengthways and scoop out the middle. Put the halves, cut side up, in a large roasting tin and season. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and sweat on a low heat for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic, chorizo, spices and dried herbs. Cook for a few mins, then add the tomatoes and peppers. Turn down to a low simmer and cook for 10 mins, then stir through the parsley. Spoon the tomato mixture into the marrow halves, cover with foil and bake for 30 mins. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and manchego, and return to the oven for 10 mins until the crumbs are golden and crisp, and the marrow is tender.

This goodvalue veg deserves more love. With a mild flavour, it works best with strong flavours, such as garlic and spices. As well as being baked, marrow flesh can be cut into chunks and treated like its cousin the courgette. a lot of Courgettes can hold quite the finished water, which can affect your grated texture of your cake. If place them into a courgettes seem watery, some of the liquid clean cloth and wring out courgettes to into a bowl. Then add the The timing for the cake mixture as normal. can depend cakes containing courgettes your vegetables, on the water content of oven for so return the cake to the it. another 10 mins if it needs and Simply test with a skewer make sure it comes out clean. 175g shelled pistachios 250g golden caster sugar 200g butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing 280g plain flour 1¼ tsp baking powder 1¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda 3 large eggs 140g Greek-style, full-fat yogurt (buy a big pot and keep the rest to serve alongside) zest and juice 3 lemons 140g coarsely grated courgette 175g icing sugar 2 tbsp lemon curd (optional)

PREP: 35 MINS COOK:35 - 40 MINS CUTS INTO 15 SQAURES

Put 150g of the pistachios and the sugar in a food processor and whizz until the nuts are very finely ground.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, grease a 20 x 30cm cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Tip the pistachio sugar into a big mixing bowl with the butter, flour, baking powder and bicarb, eggs, yogurt and the zest and juice from 2 of the lemons. Beat with an electric whisk until smooth and combined.

Stir in the courgette until everything is well mixed, then scrape into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is risen and golden, and a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool.

When the cake has fully cooled, remove from the tin and peel off the baking parchment. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, and gradually stir in enough lemon juice to get a runny-ish consistency. If you run out of juice, carry on mixing with water. Drizzle thickly over the cake, and repeat with lemon curd, if you like. Roughly chop the remaining pistachios and scatter over the icing, along with the remaining lemon zest. Leave to set for 10 mins, then cut into squares and serving with Greek yogurt. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight tin.